Hair dryers



Nov. 6, 1956 R. F. KRUEGER HAIR DRYEIRS Filed Oct. 15, 1954 INVENTOR, RUWLIZKQUE 652;

United States Patent HAIR DRYERS Ruth F. Krueger, Granada Hills, Calif. Application October 15, 1954, Serial No. 462,492

2 Claims. (Cl. 34-90) The present invention relates to hair dryers generally and specifically to means whereby the head at the hair line may be supported in a hair dryer without impeding circulation of air around and through the hair.

Most beauty shops provide hair dryers of different forms, which constitute a hood or a shell adapted to be lowered over the head of the user so that the hair may be dried by a stream of circulating heated air. As a rule, dryers of this type require that the person receiving the hair treatment sit in an upright position for a considerable length of time, which is therefore tiring, specifically to the neck muscles, and it does not allow the person to relax.

The present invention is so constituted and arranged as to permit the patron to sit in a reclining position, such as resting on one of the well known contour type chairs, with the head received within the dryer and comfortably held in such a manner that the head does not impede air circulation within the dryer.

A further object is the provision of means for incorporation with a hair dryer, of simple construction, inexpensive in cost of manufacture, and which produces superior results in eliminating fatigue in the user of the dryer.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing a person in the act of having hair dried and utilizing the invention within the hair dryer,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a dryler incorporating the invention and on an enlarged sca e,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device utilized in the practice of the invention.

Referring now with particularity to the drawing, 1 have shown in Figure 1 a person 1 reclining on a chair 2 with the head 3 of said person partially received within a hair dryer 4 incorporating the invention 5. Thus, the person undergoing hair treatment is permitted to relax while the hair is being treated. In this particular figure, it is assumed that the hair of the person has been given some type of treatment, such as a setting, and is now being dried. While the particular form of hair dryer is no part of the present invention, still I have shown, in Figure 2, one type which may be utilized in the practice of my invention, and wherein there is an outer shell 6, an inner spaced shell 7, which spaced shell is provided with an annular wall at 8 joining with the inner surface of the outer shell 6 and which wall 8 is provided with an annular series of spaced slots 9. This construction results in a jacket space at 10 through which air is adapted See to be directed. The inner shell is provided with a foraminous or screen-like portion at 11, and the outer shell within the same has a portion 12 adapted to carry a motor 13, the shaft 14 of the motor being provided with a propeller 15 interposed between the foraminous portion 11 and a heating coil 16, suitably carried by means 17 secured to the inner shell. The outer shell continues beyond the annular wall 8 of the inner shell, as shown in Figure 2 at 18, theouter edge of said outer shell being provided with a cushioning member 19, which may be of rubber or other material. So far as operation is concerned, it is evident that when the motor 13 is in operation, air is directed through the foraminous member 11. However, return circulation occurs through the slots 9 into the jacket 10, past the heating coil 16, and again through the member 11. This provides a circulatory system of heated air.

To properly utilize this heated air and allow the person to relax, I have provided a head support of the type shown in Figure 4, and which comprises a rectangular frame 20, provided with open mesh material 21 in the form of a screen, the frame being arcuate longitudinally so as to conform to the curvature of the interior of the shell 6. This frame is suitably supported by means of legs designated generally as 22, at each corner of the frame, and which legs may include posts provided with screw-threaded openings adapted to receive screws 23 which may have rubber feet, which may, in certain adaptations of the invention, be of the suction foot type. The screws for the said feet allow adjustment within the post 22 to raise or lower the framing as an entirety. This framing is placed within the shell 6 and rests upon the inner surface forwardly of the annular wall 8, and within the confines of the member 19, as shown in the figures.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention just described are as follows:

It is evident that use of the device as just disclosed and as illustrated in the several figures allows the open mesh material to be above and not to impede any of the outlets or slots 9 (see Figure 3). Hence, when the head is resting upon the curved surface of the screen-like member 21, the head is elevated above said slots so that the hair and the head of the person will not close the slots at this portion, and air may circulate through the screen and into the hair. Such circulation would be stopped entirely, as is self-evident, if the head rested upon the inner surface of the shell. However, my device prevents this from happening.

While I have shown one form of dryer, it is evident that other forms may be provided, as there are many forms of dryers on the market, all of which depend upon a circulating air stream, which is usual-1y heated, and my invention prevents any stoppage of circulatory air from reaching all portions of the hair.

I claim:

1. The combination with a hair dryer having an outer shell, an inner shell having a mouth terminating inwardly from the mouth of the outer shell and forming therebetween a jacket space, and means for circulating air within said shell jacket space, of: a foraminous member conforming in curvature to the outer shell and supported by the outer shell only in the space provided between the mouths of the shells and constructed and arranged to leave the head of the user of said dryer within the outer shell so that air circulation is not impeded within the shell.

2. The combination with a hair dryer having an outer shell provided with an open mouth, an inner shell having a mouth terminating inwardly from the mouth of the outer shell and spaced from the outer shell, means between said shells for directing heated air outwardly from the inner shell for return between said shells, and a foraminous member supported by the outer shell only in the space provided between the mouths of the shells, for supporting the head of a user of said hair dryer in such a manner as to allow complete circulation between said shells.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

